Stationary gas turbines have long been known from the extensive prior art. The rotors thereof are generally supported radially both at a compressor end and at a turbine end. The turbine-end radial bearing of gas turbines is situated within the exhaust section of the gas turbine, generally directly after the last guide vane cascade of the turbine unit. For support, there is generally a small number of radially extending bearing struts in the exhaust section, i.e. four, five or six such struts, in the center of which a bearing housing for the bearing body of the turbine-end radial bearing is located.
Faults in the bearing body or in the bearing shells can lead to a need to replace said components. In the case of stationary gas turbines, which are generally fitted with a casing which can be divided into halves in a parting plane, the upper casing half of the stationary gas turbine must first be released from the lower casing half and then lifted off in the event of a repair. The rotor including the bearing must then be removed from the lower casing half, and only then can the bearing be pulled off the rotor.
However, this procedure is particularly time-consuming since a relatively long preparation time is required after the cooling of the gas turbine in order to release the screwed joints of the casing, open the gas turbine and remove the rotor. After the faulty component has been repaired, the rotor must be replaced in the lower casing half and aligned. The upper casing half is then fitted. After this, the casing halves have to be fastened to one another by means of the known screwed joints, and this likewise greatly increases the downtime of the stationary gas turbine.